Preview — Elite
by Mercedes Lackey

Elite

Joy wants nothing more than to live and Hunt in Apex City without a target on her back. But a dangerous new mission assigned by her uncle, the city's Prefect, may make that impossible.

In addition to her new duties as one of the Elite, Joy is covertly running patrols in the abandoned tunnels and storm sewers under Apex Central. With her large pack of magical hounds, she canJoy wants nothing more than to live and Hunt in Apex City without a target on her back. But a dangerous new mission assigned by her uncle, the city's Prefect, may make that impossible.

In addition to her new duties as one of the Elite, Joy is covertly running patrols in the abandoned tunnels and storm sewers under Apex Central. With her large pack of magical hounds, she can fight the monsters breaking through the barriers with the strength of three hunters. Her new assignment takes a dark turn when she finds a body in the sewers: a Psimon with no apparent injury or cause of death.

Reporting the incident makes Joy the uncomfortable object of PsiCorp's scrutiny—the organization appears more interested in keeping her quiet than investigating. With her old enemy Ace still active in Hunts and the appearance of a Folk Mage who seems to have a particular interest in her, Joy realizes that the Apex conspiracy she uncovered before her Elite trials is anything but gone.

As the body count rises, she has no choice but to seek answers. Joy dives into the mysterious bowels of the city, uncovering secrets with far-reaching consequences for PsiCorp... and all of Apex City....more

Community Reviews

It didn’t bother me quite as much in Hunter, but this series is certainly skewing on the younger side of young adult (if even that - maybe older middle grade readers). If I was the demographic, I’d probably have been a lot less bored. That being said..I still trekked my way through!

This one doesn’t have have too much recapping of what went on in the first book. I actually struggled to remember a lot until certain plot lines were brought back up however many pages in..then I had several “wait...It didn’t bother me quite as much in Hunter, but this series is certainly skewing on the younger side of young adult (if even that - maybe older middle grade readers). If I was the demographic, I’d probably have been a lot less bored. That being said..I still trekked my way through!

This one doesn’t have have too much recapping of what went on in the first book. I actually struggled to remember a lot until certain plot lines were brought back up however many pages in..then I had several “wait...what happened with ___ again?” moments. I could blame it on my memory, though it’s usually not this bad. It starts with Joy on a good ol’ fashioned hunt - only she’s being used as bait to catch a Drakken. It’s nice being thrown back in seeing how things have changed for Joy being Elite.

This time around Joy’s uncle gives her a job he feels only she can be trusted with. She is to patrol the storm sewers underneath the city. They’ve gotten worse - much too dangerous for the usual police units who patrol. Joy’s large pack of hounds make her a clear contender as someone who can handle the patrol solo. Only Joy isn’t quite ready for what’s down there. New creatures no one has seen before and a mysterious dead Psimon body... This is only the beginning.

It seems there is more than meets the eye with PsiCorp. They’re working a little too hard to keep Joy quiet. That’s a mystery Joy is struggling to crack in addition to worrying about the whole Ace situation. Word is he still gets to hunt under watchful eye. And the appearance of an old friend might be hinting at something else going on...

In true sequel form we got new characters, new creatures, and an expanding world. It didn’t quite world-build enough to warrant for a sequel. It just felt like it was expanded the slightest bit. You’ll see what I mean. Because other than the few creatures introduced here, there wasn’t much growth. There were a few moments of excitement, but far and few between. The development and growth I was hoping for didn’t exist. I am curious where the PsiCorp storyline is heading..so I may still check out the sequel. I really think this should’ve been aimed more for the older middle grade reader, though....more

This was another good entry in the series - and I must be really enjoying it because I'm planning on going straight to the next book.

One of the things I like with this series so far is that Joy works as a team. She coordinates with team members, and doesn't stupidly go off on her own trying to "protect" them, and she is clever with figuring out new ways to use magic and her hounds. This installment is a bit of a mystery, as she has been finding dead bodies in the sewers, and needs to figure outThis was another good entry in the series - and I must be really enjoying it because I'm planning on going straight to the next book.

One of the things I like with this series so far is that Joy works as a team. She coordinates with team members, and doesn't stupidly go off on her own trying to "protect" them, and she is clever with figuring out new ways to use magic and her hounds. This installment is a bit of a mystery, as she has been finding dead bodies in the sewers, and needs to figure out what is going on. Meanwhile, creatures are attacking the Barriers in a more organized fashion.

Ahoy there me mateys! So I have been a fan of Mercedes Lackey ever since I picked up her Valdemar books as a kid. This book is the second of the Hunter trilogy. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read hunter then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

As a reminder, the world is a post-apocalyptic US where after said disaster, a seam to the Otherworld opened allowing magic and monsters through. Several centuries later, the world has slowly rebuilt behind walls andAhoy there me mateys! So I have been a fan of Mercedes Lackey ever since I picked up her Valdemar books as a kid. This book is the second of the Hunter trilogy. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read hunter then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

As a reminder, the world is a post-apocalyptic US where after said disaster, a seam to the Otherworld opened allowing magic and monsters through. Several centuries later, the world has slowly rebuilt behind walls and there are armies and other groups trying to keep regular citizens safe. One of those groups is the Hunters whose purpose it be to hunt monsters of course!

In this installment, we continue to follow Joy who has become a member of the Elite group of Hunters. The sewers under the center of town are supposed to be safe but Joy is given an undercover job by her Uncle to patrol the pipes and find out what is causing the disturbances. Add in increasing storm surges, higher rates of monster attacks, and trying to make time to see her boyfriend and Joy’s life is anything but calm.

This series just continues to be outright fluffy fun. The highlights of the book are still Joy, Joy’s Hounds, and Knight. I also loved the addition of the two Hunter brothers. There is less romance in this one and it is actually a little lighter on plot. This book does have a bit of the set-up for the next book problem. There are questions with no satisfactory answers. But I really didn’t care. I am really here for the Hounds and for monster hunting. There was plenty of that.

If ye haven’t read any of Lackey’s YA stuff, there is a lightness of tone to the books and the plot doesn’t really tend to have tons of psychology or real character development. But it does have excellent characters to root for, fun magic, and good conquering evil. I loved her YA series with dragons jousters and I love this one too. These are young adult books that harken back to earlier times and types of fantasy stories. And there be nothing wrong with that. I recommend Lackey’s work to the crew. Now all I have to do is finish the series!

Despite being really fun and all kinds of cool, it was essentially a repeat of the first book. Plot-wise it was exactly like Hunter and while there were one or two new things, they took such a long time that the impact or significance was all but lost.

These recent developments were not all that mind-numbing to begin with. I was extremely disappointed by the fact that the story doesn’t explain more about the Diseray or the Otherside. I was hoping for more detail about both of these things like wh

Despite being really fun and all kinds of cool, it was essentially a repeat of the first book. Plot-wise it was exactly like Hunter and while there were one or two new things, they took such a long time that the impact or significance was all but lost.

These recent developments were not all that mind-numbing to begin with. I was extremely disappointed by the fact that the story doesn’t explain more about the Diseray or the Otherside. I was hoping for more detail about both of these things like what lead to the apocalyptic event, how did it open the portal to this other dimension, what did that other dimension even look like, where did the Hunters’ hounds went when they entered the portal and just what happened there, ya know?

Instead, apart from the same old Hunting stuff which is COOL, don’t get me wrong, the major theme of the book was discovering what Ace was doing and who was plotting with him from the Folk on the Otherside. It was not enough. There was SO much that there could have been in the book instead, the length is considerable but it was page after page of the same thing plus some really lame stuff like Mark Knight getting married and Joyeaux spending pages understanding his wife’s psyche. This was really unnecessary. Joy’s love life is the most boring thing in the universe. I do admire the girl still. She’s the most rational person I’ve ever read about.

Also, the magic system sounds amazing but the descriptions feel evasive. The spells do seem similar to the Dr. Strange stuff what with the glyphs and opening portals and the Otherside stuff reminds me of Stranger Things which I am watching right now.

What other cities are out there besides Apex, do all of them have Hunter Elites and Barriers and such, do cities ever communicate with each other? A million things. No elaboration. The book is filled and filled and filled with fangirl worthy monster fighting and nothing else.

I like this series from Mercedes Lackey. It's imaginative and fun and a series I would suggest to young scifi/fantasy fans.

**HUNTER (volume 1) is at the 6th Grade reading level. [Accelerated Reader: 6.4 with 18 points]. ELITE (#2) has no reading info currently available but I would expect it to be at about the same level.

This is a book with magic so you can see that the science and fantasy is a mix-mash. There is a ton of adventure without any graphic violence and so far every~ from the Library

I like this series from Mercedes Lackey. It's imaginative and fun and a series I would suggest to young scifi/fantasy fans.

**HUNTER (volume 1) is at the 6th Grade reading level. [Accelerated Reader: 6.4 with 18 points]. ELITE (#2) has no reading info currently available but I would expect it to be at about the same level.

This is a book with magic so you can see that the science and fantasy is a mix-mash. There is a ton of adventure without any graphic violence and so far everything has been suitable for Middle-graders (on up) if 'making out' (and that's the words used) is okay.

I didn't find the story fraught with tension, but it's interesting. The world building (post apoc) is well done and in this second book the politics and betrayal that is coming into play actually makes it a better book, imho, than the first.

If you liked book #1 in the HUNTER Series, HUNTER, then you'll no doubt like ELITE. ...more

Elite starts us off with Joy already as an Elite hunter. She has eleven magical hounds, the most anyone has ever seen, and is gradually taking on more and more responsibility. She's definitely capable; thankfully Joy isn't one of those characters who is supposed to be ultra self-reliant then manages to single-handedly ruin everything in the span of one novel. Joy IS actually self-reliant, responsible, and fast-acting. She doesn't stop in the middle of a battle to reThis series is growing on me.

Elite starts us off with Joy already as an Elite hunter. She has eleven magical hounds, the most anyone has ever seen, and is gradually taking on more and more responsibility. She's definitely capable; thankfully Joy isn't one of those characters who is supposed to be ultra self-reliant then manages to single-handedly ruin everything in the span of one novel. Joy IS actually self-reliant, responsible, and fast-acting. She doesn't stop in the middle of a battle to reflect on how she likes a boy, or to reflect on how pretty the Folk Mage is, or to think about how she wishes she could be in her bed with chocolates or something stupid. She's a quality under and earns her rights, and I love that.

While it does read for a slightly younger audience, there's still plenty of action and gore (goop?) so most of the time I didn't mind so much. The monsters turn into dust most of the time, similar to Percy Jackson's monsters, but occasionally some of the bigger baddies will turn into giant mounds of goop. Gross enough to elicit a reaction, but nothing so severe that it will scare off the kiddies.

I am particularly interested to see what ends up happening with the Folk Mage. So far he's been foggy, someone who only pops in one or twice to say something cryptic before moving on. I'm sure there's a point to it, and I am curious to see how it pans out.

Second in the Hunter apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy series for Young Adults and revolving around Hunter Elite Joy Charmand.

My TakeThere's plenty of action, a touch of romance, and tropes galore. I think Lackey pulled up a list of clichés and tropes and slipped 'em all in. Hence the low rating.

The most annoying trope was Joy moaning on and on about how she keeps screwing up. Ohhh, the guilt of it all… So stop, already! Naturally, Joy is the only one who gets the innovative ideas that help the HuntersSecond in the Hunter apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy series for Young Adults and revolving around Hunter Elite Joy Charmand.

My TakeThere's plenty of action, a touch of romance, and tropes galore. I think Lackey pulled up a list of clichés and tropes and slipped 'em all in. Hence the low rating.

The most annoying trope was Joy moaning on and on about how she keeps screwing up. Ohhh, the guilt of it all… So stop, already! Naturally, Joy is the only one who gets the innovative ideas that help the Hunters, from the revelations about the Hounds to using Aki-Do moves in conjunction with her magic. Yep, that old hero-who-saves-the-day trope. Then there's that blend of jealousy over a man being merely a friend with a woman combined with the female equality-slash-pigeonholing trope. The persecution trope with the Psimons ticked off as Joy keeps finding those dead bodies. Well, duh…

Naturally, they're grooming Joy for a leadership role, which naturally, Joy hates for the attention it throws on her…oh, woe…again… Our poor modest Joy. Okay, I do actually like the concept of Joy's character, but puh-lease, ease up on the tropes already!!

I did like Kent's observation that reading about paintings doesn't make him an artist, lol. I also liked the message in Elite, that you're never stuck at one level, that you can always learn more. The sum-up that magic answers to belief can so easily be applied to other aspects of life.

Lackey also notes the difference between people raised at the Monastery and those in Apex City. How the Cits take safety for granted and wouldn't do well without all the protection that surrounds them. There's also the difference between the beliefs of one group that insist on pigeonholing half their people, to everyone's detriment.

There is an assortment of conflicts. The obvious one is the increasing intensity of Othersider attacks. They're bad enough, but Ace is free and has crossed over to the enemy…and is focused on taking out Joy. Her uncle has set her a secret mission that brings her into conflict with a powerful group. Mark is desperate for her help, although Jessie has issues with this that are much too easily solved. And Josh is suffering his own conflicts.

Why would Joy think the enemy would be courteous and let her pass in a battle?

There is a quick reference to all the fan service that drove Joy mad in Hunter, 1.

Joy makes a rather terrifying observation at the end about Senior Psimon Drift…!

The StoryPsimon dead are appearing in the sewers under Apex Central, and Uncle Charmand assigns Elite Hunter Joy Charmand to patrol. A decision that will open her to PsiCorps scrutiny and the bad blood that exists between the prefect of police and PsiCorps. Worse, PsiCorps appears more interested in keeping Joy silent while not investigating these mysterious deaths.

But this dangerous powerplay between Uncle and PsiCorps pales against the Othersider attacks surging in and around Apex City, strikes that, in hindsight, have been carefully targeted to destroy Hunters, and one in particular.

The CharactersThe young Joyeaux Charmand is a Hunter whose pack has increased from her original seven Alberijes to eleven: Bya is the alpha, Dusana who is big enough for Joy to ride, Begtse, Chenresig, Shinje, Kalachakra, and Hevajra are the rest of the original pack. With Ace's betrayal, his Hounds, Myrrdhin (who has become second-in-command) and Gwalchmai, ask to join with Joy's as do Hold and Strike, the murdered Karly's Hounds.

The Hunters are……humans whose magic comes to them in the shape of a mandala on the back of their hands, a design burned into them when their Hounds arrive for the first time. After that, Hunters can summon the Hounds — magic beings living Other Side, Alberijes, able to change their shape — who answer to them alone. The Hounds form a pack with each pack having different abilities and shapes; one type of Hound ability is bamphing, a.k.a., teleportation. They feed on manna, magical energy, which is found in everything.

Hunters are divided into two levels: the Elite and the ranked. They answer to the prefect of police who is Joy's uncle. Grace is one of Uncle's secretaries. Josh Green, a Psimon, is her uncle's personal Psi-aide and Joy's boyfriend. Psimons are discouraged from forming friendly relationships with anyone. Rik Severn is in charge of Hunter personnel.

The Elite Hunters are……free of the media scrutiny paid to the ranked Hunters. Senior Elite Armorer Kent is the defacto leader. Hammer and Steel are brothers who form an effective partnership wielding their Walls; they have six Hounds. Archer is good with arrows. Retro is young, incredibly funny, and very interested in Joy. Scarlet is amazingly nice; her pack leader, Djinni, liked working with Joy's pack. Flashfire's skill is his pyromancy. Hawk, Bull, Siren, and Mei are more of the sixteen Elites.

The ranked Hunters are……revered as vid stars with their popularity rising or falling according to how the citizens view them. They include Dazzle with her fabulous light show, Trev, Regi, Sara, Cielle had been Ace's girlfriend, Tobor, Fox and Levy are the new guys, Shiloh, Tank, Trooper, Denali, Hudson, and, Souxie with her lightbending skill.

Mark "White Knight" is a Christer to whom the Hunters have warmed up and one of Joy's best friends here; he has four Hounds who look like lions and can fly. He calls them his angels. Bya and the rest like Mark and refer to his Hounds as the Saints. VerityJessie is Knight's fiancée back home. Back in Anston's Well, she'd been helping Doc Bellow.

Apex City is……on the East Coast, one of the few cities that has managed to resurrect itself. It is protected by two electrical Barriers. Premier Rayne is its leader. Bensonville and Zion are two cities that look to Apex City for protection.

PsiCorps is……another elite organization with more than their share of arrogance. They are referred to as Psimon and have mind powers such as the ability to alter your memories, telekinesis, mind-control, telepathy, psychokinesis, etc. Everyone fears them. Senior Psimon Abigail Drift is the chief officer and head of PsiCorps. And she really hates both Charmands.

The Army's……Mages have the same arrogance as PsiCorps and look down on Hunters for relying upon their Hounds. Ace Sturgis was at the number one Hunter spot before his actions in Hunter. Now he's a prisoner used by the Army. Paules had been his brother. Army Mages include Prender and Kindsley.

The Monastery is……in the Colorado mountains where Joy grew up and has its own dangerous secrets. The area the monks protect includes Safehaven and Anston's Well as well as the monastery itself. Master Kedo Patli had been Joy's mentor and is still a touchstone for her. Masters are some of the other monks with skills, including Lady Rhiannon, Ivor Thorson, Pepperberg worked with the birds, Begay, and Jeffries, the most senior Master and head of the monastery. Brother Vincent. Kei is Joy's best friend there and is currently seeing Dutch in Silverspring. Sheila Yazzy. Some of the Hunters there had included Shadi Newsom and Yanaba Yellowhorse. Master Hon Li had sent the Thunderbirds fleeing back in the day. It's where Mark Knight's people fled for sanctuary in Hunter.

Othersiders are……supernatural beings who invade from the Other Side to kill and eat humans. There are two types of Folk Mage: civilized and feral.

Drakken are huge dragon-like monsters who are at the top of the Othersider predator lists. Gog and Magog are near unstoppable. Gazers are giant eyeballs who can burn out your mind if you get caught in their gaze. Jackals are the Gazers' symbiotic helpers. Thunderbirds incorporate lightning and control storms. Wyverns, intelligent Minotaurs, Goblins, Trolls, Wendigos, Nightmares, Harpies, and Hags who are good with illusions, dour-armed Nagas with each arm wielding a sword, Recaps use bronze knives, Knockers use crude clubs and flint knives, Yeth-hounds are headless, the naked Kobold, and the newest ones who appear to be related to the Kobold — but wear clothes and use tools — are more monsters.

The Diseray is actually Dies Irae, a.k.a., the Wrath of God, a catastrophic event that turned the world upside down two-and-a-half some centuries ago when Portals opened all over the world, allowing Othersiders to invade, what people refer to as Breakthrough. Christers are Christians. Cits are ordinary citizens with no magic. Perscom are personal communicators; think of it as an Apple iWatch.

The Cover and TitleThe cover is cheerfully demonish with its pastel blues and flaming oranges, sparks flying up while the top half of a demon-like head with a curved horn and red eyes glares out at us. The author's name (at the top), the huge title (in the middle), and the series information (at the bottom) is all in an embossed black blackletter font.

Learn the wisdom of the Hound. Always rest, eat, and play when you can, because the universe conspires to keep you from doing any of these things nearly as often as you would like.3.5 starsContinues Joy's life in Apex as an Elite Hunter. The attacks on the othersiders are getting worse. Joy is also patrolling the sewers because she was requested by her uncle to do so. Psimons keep showing up dead in the tunnels and Joy doesn't know why.

Joy still irks me a bit, and I don't find her that interestiLearn the wisdom of the Hound. Always rest, eat, and play when you can, because the universe conspires to keep you from doing any of these things nearly as often as you would like.3.5 starsContinues Joy's life in Apex as an Elite Hunter. The attacks on the othersiders are getting worse. Joy is also patrolling the sewers because she was requested by her uncle to do so. Psimons keep showing up dead in the tunnels and Joy doesn't know why.

Joy still irks me a bit, and I don't find her that interesting. I still feel like things come way too easily for her. I want her to work hard, to sweat a bit. I still like the world and the premise of the different monsters, just wish Joy wasn't the main character....more

Man, this series is one of the best YA series I've read in a really long time. Just like the first book, Lackey does a wonderful job in blending science fiction and fantasy elements to create a unique, very believable world. This book was well-paced and all of the plot points unfolded effortlessly. I love when authors create a very specific set of rules for their worlds, because it helps us stay "in" and immerse ourselves into the world. At no point did I think: "well, that was convenient" or "oMan, this series is one of the best YA series I've read in a really long time. Just like the first book, Lackey does a wonderful job in blending science fiction and fantasy elements to create a unique, very believable world. This book was well-paced and all of the plot points unfolded effortlessly. I love when authors create a very specific set of rules for their worlds, because it helps us stay "in" and immerse ourselves into the world. At no point did I think: "well, that was convenient" or "of COURSE that character was able to do that in time." Lackey sticks to her rules.

The buildup of the conflict between the humans and Othersiders continues, and we're starting to learn a lot more about how the Othersiders operate. There are some intriguing unresolved questions related to the war, what it means, and what the Othersiders' motives are, which I'm so excited to have answered in the next book. New Othersiders are introduced in this novel which is both very fun because it adds more difficulties for the characters and keeps the tension going with them trying to figure out how to battle these newbies.

The characters are wonderful and we continue to learn more about Joy, the main character, and are able to learn more about other characters through her eyes. We're taken into different aspects of life in the city so we can get a fuller picture of this world as a whole, which I really appreciated. I also cannot state enough how WONDERFULLY the romance is handled. The focus is on Joy and her work as a Hunter and not on the fact that she has a cute boyfriend. I love that it's very much a side story and not an integral part of who Joy is and what the story is about.

I am eagerly awaiting the release of the third book. If you haven't had a chance to start this series yet, I would recommend it. It's so, so good....more

I eagerly waited for this book after reading Hunter. I was not disappointed.

Joy made Elite in Hunter and now is out of the rat race of ratings for the Hunters. With an increase in "rank," there is an increase in the dangers faced. More Othersiders are getting closer to Apex, the capital city. Joy's uncle, in charge of the Apex police, has suspicions something is going on. Ace, who tried to kill Joy in Hunter, is being used by the Army to fight with their Mages, albeit on tight supervision. AndI eagerly waited for this book after reading Hunter. I was not disappointed.

Joy made Elite in Hunter and now is out of the rat race of ratings for the Hunters. With an increase in "rank," there is an increase in the dangers faced. More Othersiders are getting closer to Apex, the capital city. Joy's uncle, in charge of the Apex police, has suspicions something is going on. Ace, who tried to kill Joy in Hunter, is being used by the Army to fight with their Mages, albeit on tight supervision. And Joy's new assignment which was requested by her uncle, leads to her finding dead Psimons in the storm drains under the city.

There are lots of questions opened in this book. That led to me reading it through pretty quickly so I could find out what happened next. Some of the questions get partial answers, but those lead to more questions.

I loved seeing Joy mature and grow in her role as an Elite. She is slowly (and realistically) growing in her leadership skills. Her knowledge grows in ways that are not surprising to the reader -- the clues are all there. For the reader, there are more hints of what may have brought about the Diseray.

I'd suggest starting with Hunter for fans of The Hunger Games. If you read Hunter and liked it, then I think you'll enjoy this sequel. I didn't have to reread Hunter; anything essential was "remembered" by Joy. Now I have to wait (im)patiently for the next novel. ...more

I received an uncorrected advance proof copy of this book from BEA, thanks to Pamelibrarian. ::high five::

I had a really fun time reading this book. I like Joy as a character; she's smart, tough, and honest. I especially love the Hounds, who seem to come in all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of mythological creatures to battle, and this time there is a mystery to solve, involving the Psimons. There was a lot more action, and a lot less description of clothing in this story, which was great.

TI received an uncorrected advance proof copy of this book from BEA, thanks to Pamelibrarian. ::high five::

I had a really fun time reading this book. I like Joy as a character; she's smart, tough, and honest. I especially love the Hounds, who seem to come in all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of mythological creatures to battle, and this time there is a mystery to solve, involving the Psimons. There was a lot more action, and a lot less description of clothing in this story, which was great.

There were a few things I had issues with. I'm not a fan of the love interest, although my opinion could very well change in the next book. I was also disappointed that there weren't any strong female friendships shown in this book, like there were in the first book. I have nothing against Joy having close friendships with the boys, but I missed having the female friendships. There are 2 new female characters in the book; I'll be very curious to see them develop.

If you enjoyed Hunter, then you should definitely like Elite as well. ...more

Sometimes the middle book in a trilogy is a mere bridge you must cross to get from the compelling first book to the final resolution in the final book. This is not the case here. This book was just as good as the first one. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am eager to complete the trilogy, which is why I'm off to drop some money in the Kindle store. Oh my poor checkbook!

I liked this book as well or better than the first book in the series. I love the story but was really sad that I will have to wait for another book in order to find out what will happen. I love the characters. I love the world building. Lackey has done a successful job of the YA transition.

Spoilers, beware. This could've been an easy 4 star but Lackey's writing style leaves something to be desired, some of the plot points felt like a checklist being ticked off, and I could've done without the boring as cardboard romance. I skim-read every single portion where Josh appeared and believe you me I didn't miss a single thing.

The hunting bits were my favorite, especially the ones with Hammer and Steel, and god was I happy Steel survived. A hint of misogyny comes through sometimes when JSpoilers, beware. This could've been an easy 4 star but Lackey's writing style leaves something to be desired, some of the plot points felt like a checklist being ticked off, and I could've done without the boring as cardboard romance. I skim-read every single portion where Josh appeared and believe you me I didn't miss a single thing.

The hunting bits were my favorite, especially the ones with Hammer and Steel, and god was I happy Steel survived. A hint of misogyny comes through sometimes when Joy talks about other females like Mark's wife or Psimon Drift (calling her ferret-faced? C'mon! Do better!). The series could also do with a healthy dose of introducing more female characters especially since it touched 'Bury Your Gays' trope in book 1 with Karly's death (which still rankles a lot, thanks for nothing Lackey!). At the moment there are zero female characters of significance in the series. Except for Joy.

Another thing I would like to touch is about people calling Joy a Mary Sue (which tf?) or calling her timid and mousy and yet able to do everything: Joy is a lot of things but that girl is neither timid nor mousy nor a Mary Sue. Did we even read the same book? She's confident but she knows her limits, she's quick on her feet, responds well in tight situations, kicks ass regularly, is respectful to elders and seniors but won't be bullied by anyone be it a Folk Mage or a Senior Psimon or a Ranker Hunter. This girl knows her end-goals, knows where she wants to go, what she wants to be, and is pretty unapologetic in doing all that. As a protagonist I really loved her.

Now if I never see the words Psimon Josh again that would be Ace (whoop, I punned xD).

Anyway, this is the first Lackey series I'm reading and the writing style is so different from contemporary, it takes a little while to get used to it, but I loved the worldbuilding and I'm totally not averse to reading more books set in this universe....more

Most definitely more invested in this book than I was in the first one and I’m understanding the mythology more and more, which makes the story more enjoyable, rather than the info dump of the first book. Joy is a badass and then some, but I’m still not quite as invested in her life as I should be. Like I didn’t care that Josh dumped her. 🤷🏼♀ just so long she can still kick othersider ass, I’m good.But those hounds... I would die for themMost definitely more invested in this book than I was in the first one and I’m understanding the mythology more and more, which makes the story more enjoyable, rather than the info dump of the first book. Joy is a badass and then some, but I’m still not quite as invested in her life as I should be. Like I didn’t care that Josh dumped her. 🤷🏼‍♀️ just so long she can still kick othersider ass, I’m good.But those hounds... I would die for them...more

It was ok. Lots of fighting and action but nothing is resolved. We are still plagued with Joy is oh so much better than everyone and the mountain is the best. Joy does try to be happy and grateful of others but it comes off feeling flat. I will prob read the next book because I want to know how the folk mage plays into this series. Both the 1st & 2nd book...not so much.

I liked this book even more than the first in the series, and I really liked the first. This book felt a little less Hunger Games like as the character's role in the world changed, and that Marvel Avengers/X-men feeling became more the focus; as well as that Attack on Titan vibe.It's an interesting world that the author created, and interesting characters.There's a direction that if I was writing the story, I would have explored, but I'm not sure if it will happen in the end. We shall see...

Dear Elite, thank you for getting me through jury selection. Will always think of you fondly because of that. Even if it took me forever to read you because I had two kids read you when I was half way through . Good news approved by 3 in my house. Fun light reading

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I don’t know if I’ve been meta-analyzing books for too long, but I found myself willfully resisting the urge to do so with this book. What I mean is that when I started reading it (more or less directly after finishing the first book in the series, Hunter), I found myself spending a lot of time trying to decide if I liked the way Lackey was trying to give enough*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I don’t know if I’ve been meta-analyzing books for too long, but I found myself willfully resisting the urge to do so with this book. What I mean is that when I started reading it (more or less directly after finishing the first book in the series, Hunter), I found myself spending a lot of time trying to decide if I liked the way Lackey was trying to give enough background information for people jumping in cold vs. hampering the plot developing. From there ,I found myself trying to decide if the pacing of the overarching story was well done. While I have answers to both of these things now (if you are curious, I think she kept it about as short as she could and I actually loved the pacing since it didn’t seemed rushed, respectively) I found I had a lot more fun reading this book when I just took it for the story it is without trying to over think it. And I have to say the result was one of the more immersive experiences I’ve had with a book in a while.

I get scared with sequels, particularly of YA, when I like the first book in a series. A lot of times, authors seem to use the first story to build a great world in the opener and then just hit the turbo button to too-fast-developing-not-super-thought-out plot in book two. This book absolutely did not do that. At one point I found myself thinking that this book can feel at times feel like it is just an extension of adventures from part one, which some may see as a negative but I really enjoyed. This is not to say that the larger plot does not advance. There are a lot of pretty important developments and the conflicts between the different government programs that are theoretically all supposed to be working together is particularly interesting, however, this information is spread out throughout the book with fun “hunts” and social activity thrown in so it feels like a much more natural progression of story than other books I have read.

The conceit that was hinted at in the previous book that all of the Othersiders are represented in some way in human folklore or mythology is expanded upon in this book in an incredibly interesting way which opens up for even more questions about the worlds relationship with the Otherside. I also found the consistency of magic in this universe to be very satisfying. There is something almost scientific about the way magic usage is explained in this world and it leads to new discoveries in magic to be satisfying as a reader rather than random and like a crutch of some type to advance the plot.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book even more than the first one. All the things I said in my previous review remain true, especially that the characters seem to act the way people really would which is something I love particularly in YA. Now I just hope that the series does not suffer from my other largest concern which is not knowing how to end which retroactively makes me not enjoy the previous books as much, but for now I can confidently say that I cannot recommend this series enough if you are at all interested in YA fantasy!

“Elite,” the second book in the “Hunter” series, is about a teenage girl named Joyeaux who moved from her humble home in the mountains (where she’d learned to fight Otherworlders from a young age) to the city hub to become a Hunter. A Hunter’s job is to keep the land surrounding the city clear of invading Otherworlders. They are also filmed each step of the way for the civilians’ entertainment. “Elite” is an action-centric series that takes a few chapters to get going at the very beginning, but“Elite,” the second book in the “Hunter” series, is about a teenage girl named Joyeaux who moved from her humble home in the mountains (where she’d learned to fight Otherworlders from a young age) to the city hub to become a Hunter. A Hunter’s job is to keep the land surrounding the city clear of invading Otherworlders. They are also filmed each step of the way for the civilians’ entertainment. “Elite” is an action-centric series that takes a few chapters to get going at the very beginning, but once it hits its stride, it doesn’t let up!

“Elite” was addicting. I read so continually that rarely do I feel the need to spend more time than I already do buried in a book. “Elite” kept compelling me back to see what happened next, which was a lot of fun because I hadn’t felt super drawn to a book in ages. I attribute that to a slew of positive attributes: great writing, excellent storytelling (which builds with each chapter), good pacing, a cool concept, and a memorable cast of characters. These are the reasons “Elite” is now one of my new favorites of the genre.

The “Hunter” series offers a plethora of interesting characters, none more so than Joyeaux, the heroine of the story. I love reading about her because 1) she’s a smart cookie, always thinking things through (which keeps me engaged as I try to figure out things along with her). 2) she’s resourceful, especially when dealing with the Otherworlders (which gives each action scene a little more variety). 3) she’s relatable. She has weak moments and makes mistakes like a real human (which makes her all the more realistic and endearing). 4) and finally, she’s independent, standing solidly on her own merit and convictions. I especially like that she’s interested in a romance but isn’t driven by it. It’s nice to see a YA heroine who realizes there’s more to life than cute boys. There’s still romance in the book, but it takes a comfortable backseat to all of the other conflicts. And because the love story is not what primarily drives the story, that leaves plenty of pages for Joy to build friendships, train hard, and get to the bottom of a few mysteries.

I’ve read a few of Mercedes Lackey’s high fantasy novels (with the “Dragon Jesters” series as my favorite) and I can see a slight simplification in her writing style for the YA market. She explained things a little more thoroughly than I think she needed to but I wouldn’t go as far as to say she dumbed it down, only that she made it a little more accessible. That said, the “Hunter” series is easily among the best of her works and I might even consider it my new favorite from her if the rest of the series goes as well as these first two books. Although “Elite” had a little less Hunter-to-Hunter competition, it still remained very action-centric, which went a long way towards making up for it. It also uped the complexity by focusing more on the dynamics between all of the different factions in this post-apocalyptic world and weaving them all into a compelling mystery. This book had a lot of layers to peel back and was a lot of fun because of it.

Overall and very impressed with “Elite” and the series so far and am super eager to read more. I’d recommend this series to anyone who loves the YA Fantasy genre, especially to those who are suffering from a Hunger Games hangover.

Elite continues where Hunter left off, following Joy's integration into the ranks of the Elite. Ace is still gunning for her, there are political minefields to traverse, personal relationships to juggle, and an escalation in Other attacks, on top of it all. Joy learns some new applications for some of her magic and helps White Knight figure out how to use his magic better, as well as stumbles upon a trick that may help them win against the Others. LackeyWonderful continuation of Joyeaux's story

Elite continues where Hunter left off, following Joy's integration into the ranks of the Elite. Ace is still gunning for her, there are political minefields to traverse, personal relationships to juggle, and an escalation in Other attacks, on top of it all. Joy learns some new applications for some of her magic and helps White Knight figure out how to use his magic better, as well as stumbles upon a trick that may help them win against the Others. Lackey has just published this book and I am ready to tear through the next! I can hardly wait!...more

Mercedes Lackey: Elite You will want to read the first book in this series Hunter, not only does it set up the world building and character but is an excellent read. Mercedes Lackey is back with Joy and the city of Apex Central and Joy is about to discover the conspiracy of a Lifetime: Joy has made it to the status of Elite hunter, but with this new status comes new responsibilities and additional targets on her back. She has been given a covert mission, to patrol the sewers of Apex Central to dMercedes Lackey: Elite You will want to read the first book in this series Hunter, not only does it set up the world building and character but is an excellent read. Mercedes Lackey is back with Joy and the city of Apex Central and Joy is about to discover the conspiracy of a Lifetime: Joy has made it to the status of Elite hunter, but with this new status comes new responsibilities and additional targets on her back. She has been given a covert mission, to patrol the sewers of Apex Central to determine how the monsters are breaking through the barriers. Monsters are one thing but when she fines the corpse of a Psimon with no apparent cause of death. After reporting the incident she comes under greater scrutiny of PsiCorp's, which she does not want and they do not appear to want her help in solving the case. When Joy discovers another body she knows something more sinister is going on, but does it have something to do with PsiCorp, the folk mages or something else entirely, Joy knows she needs to find out before those she cares about are put in danger as well. Elite is a really great follow up to the first book in the series and I think it was just as good as the first which often doesn’t not happen especially in the YA genre for me.When I was reading this book the third book in the series had yet to be released so I found that that this was one of those rare books where you don't want to put it down as you are enthralled with the story but at the same time you want to put it down so that it extends the time that you get to read the book. For me there are very few series where I have felt this, so I guess you could say I loved this book and series so far. I liked getting to know more about Psimons are such an intriguing concept in this book so I was really glad that there was more explanation on the way that they work and what they have to offer, as well as they very secretive ways that just makes them more and more interesting. One aspect that is lacking information is "Joy's" folk mage that continues to appear. This is one of the most underutilized concepts in the book as well as not explained at all. These folk mages seem to be a big player in everything that is happening outside of Apex Central and the reason they have hunters but there is still so much of these characters and their world the is not explained. Still love Joy as a character, she is one of the few female teenage characters that I have read that is not boy obsessed and realizes the importance of doing her job first. Yes, she has the whole relationship thing with Josh however, it takes a backseat to her job of protecting the city. Joy is also very much a team player, she knows when to take orders and when to be the leader, this to me just shows the overall strength of Joy as a character (and a positive one at that, she doesn't pretend to know it all). Also love her "Hounds" though there seems to be getting a few too many, if I can say that, so there are times when I get them messed up a bit about who can do what etc. Honestly, when I get my hands on the next book in this series it is going to be me stopping everything I am doing and cracking it open (and I will say that nothing did stop me as I have now read the third book in this series as well). Enjoy!!!If You Like This, Check These Out Too:...more

This is the second book in the Hunter series and it definitely is a great follow-up from the start of the story. Makes me want to read the next book in the series very soon.

Joy is a Hunter. In fact, now she is an Elite. Elite are the best Hunters and they have to go through a series of trials before they become one. Joy took this path to avoid having being in the running as the most popular Hunter--a silly scheme that the people in charge of Apex designed to make the citizens of the city feel saThis is the second book in the Hunter series and it definitely is a great follow-up from the start of the story. Makes me want to read the next book in the series very soon.

Joy is a Hunter. In fact, now she is an Elite. Elite are the best Hunters and they have to go through a series of trials before they become one. Joy took this path to avoid having being in the running as the most popular Hunter--a silly scheme that the people in charge of Apex designed to make the citizens of the city feel safe by making the hunts a popularity contest. Elite means you are not in the running any more and she thought that would get Ace of her back so he could stay on top of the Hunters' rating list. That did not work out so well since Ace tried to kill her during her trial to become Elite. Joy thought working with other Elites to keep the citizens safe from the Outsiders would be a straight forward job until her uncle assigned her to sweep the sewer tunnels under the hub of the city clear of monsters. Now Joy and all the hunters are coming across monsters they have never seen before. Also, Joy keeps finding dead bodies of Psimons in the sewer. The problem is they seemed to have dropped in their tracks from old age. Now the head of the Psimons is acting like Joy is the killer and hiding that their seems to be a serial killer lose. Funniest part is that the dead are not old people but young Psimons who have rapidly aged. Politics and murder should be enough for any hunter to have to deal with on the worst of days but now it seems the Outsiders have declared war on Apex and the surrounding area. To make matters worse, Ace who should be in prison has been working as a mage for the army and he has escaped and joined the Outsiders in this war. The Outsiders far outnumber the Elite and hunters combine and there seems to be no way that they will be able to save the citizens they have sworn to protect until with a nudge from a mage from the other side makes Joy realize there is a way to gather more magic than ever before. Now Joy and her friends might stand a chance and be able to save their way of life.

This story just flowed. I devoured this book like it was a piece of chocolate cake that I had been craving. There is so much happening in this series that I am surprised how easy it is to fly through this book and feel satisfied that I am ready for the next book. Joy is there to help her uncle without being used by others to get to him. She has been thrust into the politics of Apex more than she ever cared to be drawn. There is the problem of how and why Psimons are turning up dead in the sewer tunnels. As a byline, why does the head of the Psimons hate Joy and her uncle so much. How are so many Outsiders getting into Apex when it is suppose to be impregnable. Why are the Outsiders determined to go to war and for what reason. Even though the action never stops, Joy also has time to lose a boyfriend, make friends and even learn more about herself and her abilities along the way. How could you not like this series with all that. I will be reading the next jbook in this series very soon and suggest that it is worth a read to any who ask....more

This is how to write a Mary Sue (if you define Mary Sue as a character that is powerful/better than the rest).

Recap: Young Adult dystopian novel, with magic. There are three plotlines:

(view spoiler)[1. Joy's development: It's clear that Joy is being groomed for something larger/leadership position - and it's nice to see that she's growing to meet the challenges.

2. Politics of Apex City: we get more of a glimpse at the political situation hinted at in the first novel, and a face to an antagonistThis is how to write a Mary Sue (if you define Mary Sue as a character that is powerful/better than the rest).

Recap: Young Adult dystopian novel, with magic. There are three plotlines:

(view spoiler)[1. Joy's development: It's clear that Joy is being groomed for something larger/leadership position - and it's nice to see that she's growing to meet the challenges.

2. Politics of Apex City: we get more of a glimpse at the political situation hinted at in the first novel, and a face to an antagonist - Abigail Drift of Psimon. At the same time, Joy's uncle keeps her shielded from most of it, while letting her know enough that she's not fumbling. Joy's lack of demand for an explanation is interesting - it's a symbol that Joy trusts in her uncle to do what is best, instead of thinking that she knows better (which is a too-often irritating feature of young adult novels). I liked that there is trust in this - Joy trusts her teammates, trusts in the authorities [her Uncle / Kent] - but keeps a level head about this trust.

3. Politics of Othersiders: they've escalated and now there's a war. (hide spoiler)]

If the first book was about Joy getting introduced to Apex and the realisation of the politics surrounding Apex, this second book would be the escalation - the development of the political threat facing Joy (through the deaths of psimons) and the outside pressures that Apex faces (the war by the Othersiders). We see new Othersiders being introduced. We learn more about the magic capabilities of the Hounds and the reasons why they stay (for companionship). We also learn more about magic in general (i.e. flexibility, as Archer mentions). In personal news, we see Mark (White Knight) get married and his wife integrate into Hunter Society. I appreciated that this sideplot was developed - it added more depth into surrounding society. Josh also breaks up with Joy - it's hinted that this is due to the political situation.

I guess the third book would be the resolution of those plotlines.

That's all a description of what happened. Second books don't feel like they add anything, and this one didn't. But it was well-written, and the plot kept flowing. I think what's good about this is that Joy doesn't take much time for introspection - Mary Sues usually get consumed by self-doubt, but Joy's moments of self-doubt get articulated and resolved quite quickly, which makes it bearable reading. For example, a thought process goes something like: I suck at something --> ok, how do I get better --> resolution. Most Mary Sue books don't go past the first - they just wallow in their suckiness.

All-in-all, this is an immersive read and I blasted through the book. A lot of this is due to the narrative voice, which I appreciated.

I would have liked more worldbuilding, or more complexity in the characters - but that might be asking too much of a YA novel. That being said, I would have also liked more female characters - it feels rather male-dominated.

I am still enjoying this fantasy series and will get book three soon to complete the adventure. Overall Rating 4.25.

At the end of book 1 Joy tested for the Elite group of Hunters hoping it would put her away from some of the rating attentions and jealousies. Still, even as an Elite, while Joy continues to target monsters to keep the Cits in Apex safe, someone is targeting her. Her Uncle assigns her to a special mission during which she and her wonderful pack of hounds start finding dead bodies.I am still enjoying this fantasy series and will get book three soon to complete the adventure. Overall Rating 4.25.

At the end of book 1 Joy tested for the Elite group of Hunters hoping it would put her away from some of the rating attentions and jealousies. Still, even as an Elite, while Joy continues to target monsters to keep the Cits in Apex safe, someone is targeting her. Her Uncle assigns her to a special mission during which she and her wonderful pack of hounds start finding dead bodies. The bodies are apparently Psimon and there is no apparent cause of death. When Joy reports the deaths, she is hushed up by the PsiCorps. The secrecy puts strain on her relationship with Josh, her Psimon boyfriend and trusted assistant to her Uncle.

The internal stresses among the power groups are causing problems for Joy’s Uncle and the safety of the city. Storms bring in more monsters to the city and the Hunters need to call on the PsiCorps for back up in the battles, but the PsiCorps seem to be slow in responding. Fortunately, other members in the Elite who have become friends of Joy have learned to work together and are pretty creative in their battle strategies.

I continued to enjoy the series. There are old friendships and new ones developed in this book and old enemies appear too. It isn’t always clear who Joy can trust which adds to the suspense. The growing hound pack is a nice element in the story. Some of the issues, especially with Mark and his fiancé are a little petty but Jess finally finds a place for herself so she doesn’t have to sit back and be jealous of Joy. Lackey has developed Joy as a character with humility and wisdom, but she still exhibits teenage foibles at times. This keeps her real.

There is good action and battle scenes that balance the slower, character developing scenes. It is a good balance with pacing that moves the story forward. I will be getting book three in the near future to complete the trilogy. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy/monster hunter stories – even if there are teens.

Audio Notes: Amy Landon continues to do a good job with the narration. I think she added a little more emotion this volume and she stays true to Hunter Joy’s voice. I enjoyed the listening experience. ...more

Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts &amMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.

"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.

"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:

"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."